Martin Hermannsson dreamed of playing for Valencia Basket when he was a kid. His uncle, Jon Stefansson, was the first Icelandic player to wear the orange team's jersey. Hermannsson visited him when he was a kid and always had a feeling he would end up playing for Valencia. Before that, however, Hermannsson played - and lost – against Valencia in the 2019 EuroCup Finals. Almost three years after those finals, Hermannsson is fighting to make history with Valencia, the winningest team in competition history, looking for its fifth EuroCup crown. Follow Hermannsson's blog because it promises to be fun!
Martin Hermannsson, Valencia: ‘Playing for Valencia is a dream-come-true’
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First of all, it is literally a dream come true playing for Valencia Basket. I always had a feeling I would play here at some point. When you have this kind of feeling that something is going to happen, you try to work as much as you can to make it happen and it did. I think all my expectations are fulfilled. Of course, I would have liked to stay another year in the EuroLeague, like every player - you want to play as much as possible and do as much as possible, but I think the biggest step for me coming here was playing with 12-14 amazing players, amazing talents and being on a team where you have to fight for every second on the court.
"I want to show that I'm capable of either scoring or controlling the team or passing or making a play or whatever... Hopefully, I can continue to grow and do whatever it takes to help the team win. It's my motto now."
Last year for me was an adjustment, learning the Spanish League as well. The Spanish League is a different animal, with all respect to the German and the French Leagues. The Spanish League is, for sure, the toughest domestic competition in the world, and you have to work for every win. I think that was a big adjustment for me, but I have shown, since I have been here, what I can do and hopefully, we will start winning some hardware, some titles, and that will make it perfect.
We come off a road win against Bourg in which Jaime Pradilla played great down the stretch. He is a great kid, a hard worker with both feet on the ground. He's the kind of player who works for the whole team and a fun guy to be around even though he doesn't speak a word of English, but I'm trying to teach him! He learned in school, so I don't know if he's too shy or something, but he doesn't. But most of the Spanish guys I know don't speak English, you know, and I am a little bit worried about the youth in Spain not speaking English in 2022. We have to work on that!
I have been playing more at the point guard spot lately, as Sam Van Rossom is injured. As you probably know, Sam has been the main point guard of Valencia for the last 50 years, so somebody had to step up. But I know that I'm capable of doing this. I have had games like this in the EuroLeague where I had more than 10 assists. In the past, it was more fun to score, but now, somehow, I think I'm getting more mature. I'm playing with so many guys that could put the ball in the basket, so I think at this point, what Valencia expects from me is more controlling the team and trying to get everybody on the same page - and I like it. Of course, it's an adjustment for me, but at the same time, I want to show that I'm capable of doing this also, to show that I'm capable of either scoring or controlling the team or passing or making a play or whatever. I think I did a pretty good job in the last game, but there is always a new game coming up. Hopefully, I can continue to grow and do whatever it takes to help the team win. It's my motto now.
My uncle Jon Stefansson played for Valencia when I was a kid. I came to see him back them and finally, he is returning the favor. He is actually coming, I think, at the end of this month or the beginning of next month. He has been talking about it for almost a year and a half now, but with COVID and him having three kids now at home, it was a little bit difficult. But he's actually told me he booked his tickets for the end of this month, so the time has come.
"Everybody who has played in Valencia or against Valencia knows how amazing La Fonteta can be and how incredible the fans can be."
We have four games left, at home against Reyer, on the road against Bursaspor and Cedevita, and again at La Fonteta against Ulm. The home-court advantage in the knock-out round changes everything. Of course, anybody who plays basketball or sports in general knows how big of an advantage it is to have the home court and to play in front of your fans and feed off the energy from the fans. So we are going to do everything in our power to hopefully win all of those games that are left and be first. But at the same time, if we end up second, it is not the end of the world. But we are going to try everything we can to be first, that's for sure. And everybody who has played in Valencia or against Valencia knows how amazing La Fonteta can be and how incredible the fans can be. You know, I have been on both sides, having them on my side and against me, and it's much better to have them with you.
I was with ALBA Berlin when Valencia won the EuroCup title in 2019, so I know what I am talking about when it comes to fan support at La Fonteta in big games. It is extra motivation for me, of course. That hurt a lot that year, but I think nobody expected us to be in the finals. I still believe, and I tell the guys on the team, if we would have had the home-court advantage, we would have won. Of course, every player wants to win the EuroLeague or the EuroCup, so that's definitely my goal this year and the team's goal. I think this is the best place to do it. They have won it the most and know how to do it. I'm just trying to help as much as I can and, hopefully, we will come on top at the end of the competition this year. It's really tough. You know, the EuroCup this year is really, really tough. There are four or five teams that are all capable of doing it. We just need to be really focused and try to finish the season strong.
Experience always helps. When I was in ALBA in 2019, it was the first time that most of us played in the EuroCup Finals. Maybe Luke [Sikma] had some experience playing the finals, but it was pretty much new for all of us at this stage. But at the same time, Valencia had guys that had won once or twice and, especially in Game 3, when everything was on the line, I think they just kind of crushed us. I would definitely want to be in the Valencia team with the game on the line with guys like Dubljevic, Claver, Prepelic or Van Rossom. Those guys know how to win games and they know how to win titles. Hopefully, that will give us some advantage but, in the end, to win a basketball game, a lot has to click. Of course, experience helps for sure.